Mark Takano

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague and Veterans' Affairs Committee Ranking Member Phil Roe for mentioning the tremendous strides the VA and this Nation have made toward reducing veteran homelessness. It is true that Secretary Shinseki's goal of ending veteran homelessness did not occur by the designated year, 2016. But even in the State of California, where we are still experiencing several pockets of veteran homelessness, in Riverside County, the county I represent in Congress, this county has achieved functional zero. This does not mean that there are zero homeless veterans, but what it does mean is that when homeless veterans are identified, their homelessness is brief and nonrecurring. That is the definition of functional zero. I want to commend, again, the officials at the Riverside County VA and the Loma Linda VA for the incredible work they have done to achieve functional zero. I hope that they will be able to share their insights with other counties in my State and across the Nation that are looking to do the same. What I do know is that functional zero will not remain functional zero without concerted and intentional effort to be vigilant. We need to be vigilant in areas where we have reduced homelessness to functional zero, and we also need to ensure that we continue to address the challenges in Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego County where homelessness among our veterans persists. Mr. Speaker, I am very proud and pleased to support this package of extensions of programs--among them, programs that will address veteran homelessness. I urge all of my colleagues to join me in passing this very important legislation, H.R. 4285, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4285) to amend title 38, United States Code, to extend and modify certain authorities and requirements relating to the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material on H.R. 4285.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 4285, and I thank Mr. Brindisi for sponsoring this important bill which authorizes the continued operations of programs and offices vital to addressing the needs of the veterans we serve. Mr. Speaker, this bill authorizes the continued operation of the Manila, Philippines, regional benefits office, the only VA regional benefits office, or VARO, operating in a foreign country, and I plan to visit that facility this year. In addition to administering disability and survivor benefits to over 16,000 veterans, their dependents, and survivors, the Manila RO administers healthcare benefits, as well. I urge support for continued operation of this key VA regional office serving veterans and their families in the Philippines. This bill also extends the VA Vendee Loan Program, which allows VA to sell foreclosed properties to the general public, instead of continuing to own foreclosed properties it cannot use. Our committee is working hard to ensure we can increase economic opportunities for veterans and their families so that no bank will have to foreclose on a veteran's home and place that veteran and his or her family at risk of homelessness. That is why this bill also includes a bipartisan agreement to extend the Supportive Services for Veteran Families Program for 2 years. This critical program assists homeless veterans and their families, and those most at risk of becoming homeless. In southern California, veterans experience some of the highest rates of homelessness in the country. In the Inland Empire rents continue to rise. Geographic barriers make it challenging for veterans to access services that prevent homelessness. And the recent $9 billion cut to HUD housing assistance programs is making the homelessness crisis worse generally. That is why extending the operation of this vital program is so important. In recent weeks, our Economic Opportunity Subcommittee, led by Chairman Mike Levin and Ranking Member Gus Bilirakis, held two bipartisan field hearings that are helping this committee to identify solutions to address veteran homelessness. We have much work to do in understanding the definition of homelessness, getting true population counts, preventing homelessness, and working to respond to homelessness after disasters. During the field hearing in San Diego, we heard prevention was about one-tenth of the cost of crisis intervention. The SSVF program, which awards grants to nonprofit organizations, provides supportive services to very low-income veterans and their families to assist homeless veterans in moving into permanent housing and veterans in housing who are at risk of becoming homeless. These grants help organizations provide case management, outreach, and help veterans obtain VA healthcare and disability benefits. These grant recipients also help with child care assistance, transportation, housing counseling services, legal services, and financial planning for veterans and their families. I urge each of my colleagues to support this vital program so that no veteran is forced to live on the street. Mr. Speaker, September is National Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month. Tragically, 20 veterans take their lives each day. Despite Congress' and VA's efforts to address veteran suicide, the rate remains unchanged. This year, we have also seen multiple veteran suicides on VA campuses. For these reasons, I have made addressing veteran suicide the top policy priority of this committee. Earlier this month, I called on VA to conduct a 15-day nationwide stand-down in response to a VA inspector general investigation into a veteran suicide at the West Palm Beach VA Medical Center. The IG report exposed weaknesses in procedures, staff training, and installation of monitoring equipment in the inpatient mental health clinic. Three-quarters of veterans who commit suicide are not receiving treatment at VA hospitals and clinics. As Congress and VA chart a strategy to reach these veterans not receiving VA care, veterans and the public must be assured that VA's own mental health clinics are adequately and appropriately staffed. Each unit must have up-to-date monitoring equipment. All VA staff must undergo appropriate training. And each mental health unit must be routinely inspected. While I am disappointed the VA secretary has resisted my call for a nationwide stand-down, I appreciate that VA is taking actions that meet the spirit of my request. VA must make every effort to provide the highest quality treatment for the veterans and their care, especially veterans in crisis who come to VA for help. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4285 extends a program that provides transportation for veterans living in highly rural areas to vet centers for counseling and other mental health and social services. For veterans in need of mental healthcare who may be uncomfortable entering medical facilities, vet centers serve as a community and counseling center. For some veterans, these vet centers are a lifeline. Yesterday, Congressman Rose and I visited the vet center in Staten Island, New York. We both learned about the support, counseling, connection to other VA services, and the sense of community the Staten Island vet center creates with the veterans who visit there. We also learned that transportation, including a $15 toll, can make it difficult for veterans in New York City to access vet centers and VA facilities. Our committee is going to look into a solution to address this. Likewise, veterans in highly rural areas tell us distance and transportation are also obstacles to participating in counseling and mental health treatment at vet centers. Therefore, Congress has been authorizing a pilot program since 2012 that pays travel expenses for veterans attending counseling at vet centers in Bangor, Maine; Kalispell, Montana; Santa Fe, New Mexico; and Spokane, Washington. Mr. Speaker, suicide is preventable. Veterans who are thinking about suicide are not alone. If my colleagues have veterans in their district who are thinking about suicide, please urge them to call the Veterans Crisis Line at 1-800-273-8255 and press 1. They can also text 741741. Mr. Speaker, let me repeat this very important number again. The Veterans Crisis Line is 1-800-273-8255, and veterans are asked to press 1. Veterans can also text 741741. Finally, Mr. Speaker, I would also like to thank Mr. Brindisi, a member of our Economic Opportunity and Health Subcommittees, for bringing this bill to the floor. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Levin), the chairman of the Economic Opportunity Subcommittee.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague, Ms. Chu, for yielding. Madam Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues in affirming the dignity and respect for married LGBTQ couples. H.R. 3299, the PRIDE Act, would bring parity to LGBTQ couples and the benefits afforded to heterosexual married couples in our Tax Code. The PRIDE Act allows married same-sex couples to file claims for tax credits and refunds back to the year of their marriage. Allowing these claims to be dated back to the original marriage dates respects the spirit of the Supreme Court's Windsor decision and underscores that the IRS must recognize same-sex marriages and afford them equal protection under the law. Equality takes many forms. It means civil, social, and financial equality. This legislation directly tackles financial inequality created by parts of our Tax Code head-on. The PRIDE Act also modifies the Tax Code to change language used to distinguish married couples to be gender-neutral. By changing dated and limited terms such as ``husband and wife,'' our laws will become more inclusive. Language is powerful. We must ensure that the language in our laws reflects our values and does not exclude members of the LGBTQ community from enjoying the same benefits as their heterosexual counterparts. Congress must do everything it can to guarantee equal treatment under the law for every person, regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation. This bill upholds our commitment to family values by ensuring that every family, including LGBTQ families, can enjoy the same benefits in our Tax Code, and it helps us get one step closer to full equality. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to insert extraneous material on H.R. 2942, as amended.

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, women veterans are the fastest growing demographic within the veteran population yet underutilize VA healthcare resources. This is primarily due to misperceptions about eligibility and available resources. Many women leaving the military may not realize that they are eligible to use VA services, nor that VA offers extensive gender- specific care, such as mammography; prenatal, maternity, and infertility care; and mental healthcare that addresses complex trauma, including military sexual trauma, otherwise known as MST, and combat- related post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. The VA and U.S. Air Force Women's Health Transition Training pilot program works to address issues commonly experienced by women veterans when accessing VA care. This successful improvement to the Transition Assistance Program, or the TAP, is jointly run by the USAF and VA. Transitioning women servicemembers can attend an additional day of TAP to learn about women's healthcare, counseling, and social services available at the VA to ensure that they receive a warm handoff between the Department of Defense and the Veterans Administration. Mr. Cisneros' bill would expand the Women's Health Transition Training pilot program to more locations and authorizes the program through the end of fiscal year 2020. This great legislation has my full support. Madam Speaker, although women are the fastest growing cohort of veterans, women veterans are less likely to seek care and services at VA. This bill aims to address that and make the VA more accessible and responsive to women veterans. Madam Speaker, this pilot program educates transitioning servicewomen about VA's healthcare services. The data collected from this pilot program can be applied to the Transition Assistance Program to better meet the needs of all transitioning servicemembers. Madam Speaker, I thank Mr. Cisneros for his hard work on this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I am also prepared to close. I will say in my final remarks that I urge all of my colleagues to support our women veterans by joining me in passing this very important legislation, H.R. 2942, as amended, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2942) to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out the Women's Health Transition Training pilot program through at least fiscal year 2020, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Cisneros), a veteran himself, the author of this legislation, and a member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of Mr. Cisneros' bill, H.R. 2943, as amended, which would direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide all VA fact sheets in English, Spanish, and Tagalog. One of my chief priorities as chair of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs is to remove barriers that stand between veterans and their benefits. A language barrier should not prevent veterans from accessing the benefits they earned, and the burden should not be placed on veterans to request and wait for the VA to provide a translator. Mandating that fact sheets be provided in Spanish and Tagalog will break down a significant barrier that stands in between Latinx and Filipino veterans and their VA benefits. Mr. Cisneros' bill, H.R. 2943, as amended, mandates that all fact sheets be available in English, Spanish, and Tagalog. Our veterans answered the call to serve from places around the world, including the Philippines and Puerto Rico, where English is not the predominant language. There are communities across the U.S., including in my district, where Spanish is commonly spoken and understood. This fix is easy; it does not come at an increased cost; and it is the right thing to do. The Department of Veterans Affairs produces fact sheets that explain many VA programs and benefits. The VA fact sheets provide key facts, such as eligibility criteria, documents needed to help support claims, and links to appropriate application forms. These fact sheets explain the process for getting a VA-guaranteed home loan, applying for disability compensation, using GI Bill benefits, and obtaining burial benefits for veterans and their surviving family members. Brochures and fact sheets explain VA healthcare benefits to veterans and caregivers. These fact sheets also advise veterans on the supporting documentation they need to help them apply for benefits so they are correctly identified as eligible or their claims are successfully adjudicated. During the codel I led to Puerto Rico this past weekend, I met with veterans who told me they are not receiving information on VA programs, and when they do receive information, it is in English, not Spanish. The one veteran who received a brochure on the MISSION Act in Spanish said it was incomplete compared to the English materials. This disparity should not exist. Veterans, regardless of the language they speak or where they live, should be able to understand how to access their benefits easily. I ask my colleagues to help our veterans who have done so much to serve our country and join me in supporting H.R. 2943, as amended. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Cisneros), my good friend and a member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee who is also a veteran himself, the author of this legislation.

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I am also prepared to close, and I yield myself the balance of my time to render my final comments. Our veterans and their survivors deserve the best care possible. The VA benefits application process can be confusing. Congress has taken action to reduce confusion and ease the application process. I remember when, only a few years ago, initial claims were taking more than a year. Today, initial disability claims are being completed in less than 160 days. This is, in part, due to streamlining the application process and providing more information to veterans. As I learned during the codel to Puerto Rico, in emergencies like Hurricane Maria, veterans need to know how the VA can help them prepare for the next storm. They need to know that they can get additional supplies of medication. Veterans need to know where to go in an emergency when communications are disrupted. They also need to know how to apply for assistance and emergency benefits after a disaster like Hurricane Maria because these disasters will happen again. The VA fact sheet on natural disasters, which tells veterans and their families which website to go to and where to call when their benefits are interrupted due to natural disasters, is only available in English. Yet, both the Philippines and Puerto Rico experience natural disasters like hurricanes, typhoons, and earthquakes. Mandating that VA fact sheets are made available in more than one language is yet another example of ways we can eliminate barriers for our veterans, streamline the application process, and help them get to the right resources when there is an emergency. Providing fact sheets in Tagalog and Spanish could even save lives. Madam Speaker, I wholeheartedly support H.R. 2943, as amended, and, again, I ask my colleagues to join me in support of this bill. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to insert extraneous material on H.R. 2943, as amended.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2943) to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to make all fact sheets of the Department of Veterans Affairs in English and Spanish, as amended.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3504) to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for improvements to the specially adapted housing program and educational assistance programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to insert extraneous material on H.R. 3504, as amended.

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, the Veterans' Affairs Committee is proud to bring to the floor H.R. 3504, as amended, the Ryan Kules Specially Adaptive Housing Improvement Act of 2019, which is named after Army veteran Ryan Kules. Madam Speaker, we are honored to have Ryan with us today. Ryan's vehicle was struck by an explosive device in 2005, which took the lives of Sergeant Jerry Mills and Sergeant Donald Hasse, and took Ryan's right arm and left leg. He was able to use the VA's Specially Adapted Housing program to modify his house to suit his needs and the needs of his wife and children. However, the program simply didn't provide enough assistance, leaving Ryan and his family owing more than $90,000 out of pocket for improvements. The VA's Specially Adapted Housing program offers grants to servicemembers and veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities. The grants assist with building, remodeling, or purchasing an adapted home. However, portions of the program don't reflect the needs of today's veterans, which is why I am proud of our work on the House Veterans' Affairs Committee to make the SAH program work for today's veterans. H.R. 3504, as amended, does this by prioritizing grants for seriously ill veterans, doubling the cap on the total number of grants issued to a veteran, increasing the total applications authorized, and increasing the maximum benefit for up to 50 percent of the cost of a specially adapted home. In addition, this legislation doesn't stop there. H.R. 3504, as amended, includes legislation from Representative Luria regarding expanding the SAH program to cover blind veterans. I was shocked to learn that the existing SAH program only covers blind veterans who also have lost a limb. H.R. 3504, as amended, includes Representative Luria's Housing Access for Blind Veterans Act. I heard from a blind veteran in Ponce, Puerto Rico, last weekend about some of the challenges that he faces. As Puerto Rico continues to rebuild after Hurricane Maria, allowing disabled veterans, including veterans with visual impairments, to apply for Specially Adapted Housing grants can help repair and improve their homes and lives. I thank the gentlewoman for her work and Ranking Member Roe's support. Also, H.R. 3504, as amended, includes Representative Sablan's GI Bill Access to Career Credentials Act. This legislation expands the GI Bill to cover preparatory courses for professional tests, allowing veterans to more easily obtain career credentials. Finally, H.R. 3504, as amended, includes a modernization of the VA's work-study program, streamlining the payment process to make work-study programs easier for veterans to participate in. I thank Ranking Member Bilirakis and Chairman Levin for bringing this legislation to the committee, fully paid for. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3504, as amended, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I want to just add that I hear an equal number of names mentioned from both sides of the aisle who have contributed to the content of this bill. This is what bipartisanship looks like. I am very proud that we have brought this bill out of committee on a unanimous basis and that I have heard each side mention multiple names of Members who have contributed language to this bill. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Madam Speaker, I am very proud of this moment that we have chosen as Members of the House to move forward legislation that addresses adaptive housing for veterans who have truly been heroic. I can't think of a single American who would stand in the way or would criticize Members of our body for addressing such an urgent need. I want to congratulate all the Members who have done an even greater honor to the person for whom this bill is named by addressing issues related to the workstudy program, by increasing the availability of benefits to our veterans in their educational process. Madam Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 3504, as amended, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 582, the Raise the Wage Act. There is currently no place in America where a worker making $7.25 per hour can afford a two-bedroom apartment. Millions of families are struggling to make ends meet. As one of the richest countries in the world, we should be ashamed. This bill will give 27 million workers a raise and lift 1.3 million people out of poverty. Helping low-income workers is long overdue. Contrary to what my Republican colleagues have been saying, raising the minimum wage is popular among American workers. That is why voters in States like California, Arkansas, Arizona, and Missouri have voted to increase their State minimum wages. Congress has the opportunity to restore the value of work, lift families out of poverty, and ensure a fair wage for workers everywhere in America. I urge all my colleagues to vote in support of workers and families by supporting the Raise the Wage Act.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a letter from the National Employment Law Project in support. July 16, 2019. The undersigned organizations enthusiastically support the Raise the Wage Act of 2019, introduced by Senators Bernie Sanders (VT) and Patty Murray (WA), Representatives Robert C. ``Bobby'' Scott (VA), Mark Pocan (WI) and Stephanie Murphy (FL). If enacted, this legislation would: Gradually raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour in 2025; After 2025, adjust the minimum wage each year to keep pace with growth in the typical worker's wages; Phase out the outdated subminimum wage for tipped workers, which has been frozen at a meager $2.13 since 1991; and, Sunset the much criticized ability of employers to pay workers with disabilities a subminimum wage through certificates issued by DOL. Phase out the subminimum wage for workers under the age of 20. At a time when wage stagnation and income inequality pose serious threats to our families and our economy, the Raise the Wage Act of 2019 will begin to reverse that cycle and raise pay broadly across the bottom of the workforce. According to the Economic Policy Institute, this Act will deliver long-overdue raises to more than 1 in 4 workers, 90% of whom are over the age of 20. The average age of workers who would get a raise is 35, nearly half have some years of college education. In fact, those who work year-round would see a raise in the order of $3,000 a year, which is enough to make a tremendous difference in the life of a preschool teacher, bank teller, or fastfood worker who today struggles to get by on around $20,000 per year. 28 percent are working parents with children, and half have family incomes of less than $40,000 per year. Women make up nearly 58 percent of the workers who would benefit from a $15 minimum wage, which would be instrumental in helping to close the gender-wage-gap. Raising the minimum wage to $15 would also significantly benefit workers of color, with 38 percent of African American workers and 33 percent of Latinos seeing a pay increase once this law goes into effect. These are the frontline workers who make America run--yet due to the erosion of the real value of the minimum wage over the last half century, they are struggling even as our economy enjoys a solid recovery. The time for the Raise the Wage Act is long overdue, and we cannot delay in working toward its passage. We call on Congress to enact this important piece of legislation as quickly as possible, and for President Trump to sign it when it comes to his desk. Sincerely, RI Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW); Raise Minimum Wages; Raise the Wage PA; Raise-Op Housing Cooperative; Refuge Ministries Tampa Bay; Regina Mundi Inc.; Religious Institute; Restaurant Opportunities Center of Michigan (ROC- MI); Restaurant Opportunities Center of Pennsylvania; Restaurant Opportunities Centers United RESULTS Raleigh; RESULTS-Santa Fe; Rural Coalition; Rural Coaltion & Alianza Nacional de Campesinas; Rural Community Workers Alliance; Sacramento Housing Aliiance; Sacramento Regional Coalition to End Homelessness; SafeHouse Denver, Inc; San Diego Hunger Coalition; San Gabriel Valley-Whittier NOW. Santa Fe NOW; Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law; Sconiers Homeless Preventive Organization Inc; Seattle Human Services Coalition; Seattle/King County Coalition on Homelessness; Second Harvest Food Bank of Lehigh Valley and Northeast Pennsylvania; SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania; Service Employees International Union; Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS); Sherwood Community Services; SIA Legal Team; Sinsinawa Dominican Peace and Justice Office; Sister Reach; Sisters of Charity Federation; Sisters of Mercy in NH; Sisters of Mercy West Midwest Community Justice Team; Sisters of Saint Mary of Namur; Sisters of St Joseph of Chambery Justice and Peace Committee; Sisters of St. Dominic of Blauvelt, New York; Sisters of St. Francis, Clinton, Iowa Leadership Team. Sisters of the Holy Spirit and Mary Immaculate; Sisters of the Most Precious Blood of O'Fallon, MO; Social Action Linking Together (SALT); SocioEnergetics Foundation; outh Carolina Christian Action Council, Inc.; South Dakota Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers; Southern HIV/ AIDS Strategy Initiative (SASl)/Duke University School of Law; Southern Mutual Help Association, Inc.; Southern Poverty Law Center; Southfield Community Church; Southwest PA National Organization For Women; Southwest Women's Law Center; Sravasti Abbey; St. James Infirmary; St. Louis CLUW Chapter; St. Louis Gateway District Area Local--APWU 8; St. Louis Gateway District Area Local APWU--POWER Sisters; TASH; Tax Fairness Oregon; Tax March. Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation (TNDC); Tennessee Citizen Action; Tennessee Justice Center; Texas Employment Lawyers Association; THE ABCD, INC; The Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis; The Farmworker Association of Florida; The Greater Boston Food Bank; The HUB for Progress; The Praxis Project; The Public Interest Law Project; The Washington Initiative for Supported Employment; The Welcome Church; TMS Enterprises; Toledo Area Jobs with Justice & Interfaith worker Justice Coalition; Transition Services, Inc.; Transport Workers Union of America; Treatment Action Group (TAG); Trillium Employment Services; Tzedek DC. UCSF; UETHDA Head Start; Ultra Violet; UnidosUS; Union for Reform Judaism; Union of Sisters of the Blessed Virgin Mary, USA UNIT; United Food and Commercial Workers International Union; United Food and Commercial Workers Local 227; United Food and Commercial Workers Local 75; United for a Fair Economy; United For Respect; United Steelworkers (USW); University Church; University of New Mexico Community and Regional Planning Department; Upper East Tennessee Human Development Agency; URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity; Vennmedia: A Nonprofit Media Enterprise; Virginia Employment Lawyers Association; Voices for Progress; Vote- Climate. Wage Equality; Washington Anti-Hunger & Nutrition Coalition; Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs; Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless; Washington State Budget & Policy Center; Washington State Community Action Partnership; Watertown Citizens for Peace, Justice & the Environment; We The People--Pennsylvania; Wellstone Democratic Renewal Club; West Valley Neighborhoods Coalition; West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy; Western Center on Law and Poverty; Western NY Chapter Coalition of Labor Union Women; Western Pennsylvania Employment Lawyers Association (WPELA); WHEAT--World Hunger Education, Advocacy & Training; Whitman-Walker Health; Windham Area Interfaith Ministry. Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice; Women Employed; Women's Fund of Rhode Island; Women's Law Project; Worcester County Food Bank; Worker Justice Center of New York; Working Families Party; Working Partnerships USA; Workplace Fairness; Young Progressives Demanding Action; Youth Care; YWCA of the University of Illinois; YWCA Seattle | King | Snohomish; YWCA USA; YWCA Utah.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate a dear friend whom I greatly admire, Jane Block. Jane has dedicated her life to our community, to activism, and to making our society more just and equal for everyone. She has been instrumental in leading the women's movement in Riverside by serving on the committee that led to the founding of UCR's Women's Resource Center and chairing the Riverside County Commission on the Status of Women. Apart from her work to advance women's issues, Jane is president of the Riverside Land Conservancy and has helped to establish the Box Springs Mountain Reserve in Moreno Valley, which declared the region as a park instead of a development area. Jane's work has not gone unnoticed, and my district is a better place because of her. It is an honor not only to have her as a member of my community, but also to call her my friend. Mr. Speaker, I wish Jane a happy 90th birthday.